This meatloaf recipe with crackers comes from my mom, who was truly the best home cook I’ve ever known. I grew up eating this meatloaf and still make it all the time today because it never fails. It’s moist, juicy, incredibly easy to make and topped with the most delicious sweet and savory sauce. Even people who swear they don’t like meatloaf end up loving this recipe and the secret ingredient, Ritz crackers, is a big reason why.
Why This Recipe Works
I know meatloaf can be a hard sell for some people but trust me on this one. This recipe has converted plenty of meatloaf skeptics into full-blown lovers.
A few years ago, I dug up my mom’s handwritten recipe from childhood and used it as the foundation for this version. Her meatloaf was unforgettable and this recipe honors everything I loved about it growing up, with the addition of an irresistible sweet and savory glaze.
Here is why people love it:
- Moist, juicy and packed with flavor
- Made with simple ingredients and minimal prep
- Ritz crackers create the best texture and flavor
- The glaze takes it completely over the top
- Even meatloaf skeptics end up loving it
Over the years, I’ve received countless messages from readers saying this has become their go-to meatloaf recipe.
Recipe Ingredients for the Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever
Beef – To avoid an extra greasy meatloaf, use a leaner meat like ground turkey or even venison. Beef meatloaf is incredible, but I promise the flavor is still super amazing no matter which type of meat you use in the recipe.
Crackers – Ritz crackers taste so incredible in this recipe, but feel free to replace equal amounts of crushed saltines, if desired.
Onion – Chop the onion very finely to avoid an end product that falls apart easily.
Milk – Any type of milk can be used in this recipe. Almond, skim, 1%, 2% or whole.
Sauce – The apricot preserves in the sauce MAKES this recipe, but if you don’t have it on hand grape or cherry jelly or jam are great replacements.
How To Make This Recipe For Meatloaf Using Ritz Crackers
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 5×9 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, crushed Ritz crackers, egg, milk, ketchup, finely chopped onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Mix everything together with your hands until it is thoroughly combined.
Step 2
Pour the meat mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet (this is important!) so grease does not spill over the edges and into your oven!
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours (add the sauce at around the 45 minutes mark!).
Step 3
Make the meatloaf sauce: In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, apricot preserves and Worcestershire sauce.
Mix well. Spread half of the mixture evenly over the meatloaf halfway through baking.
Reserve the remainder of the meatloaf topping for dipping/topping. Let the meatloaf sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving or it may fall apart on you.
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What To Serve With This Easy Meatloaf Recipe
Check out this comprehensive list of side dishes that pair perfectly with meatloaf! You will find 44 options to choose from, ranging from a simple hashbrown casserole to a chopped salad to marinated carrots (and so much more!). Easy sweet potato fries or a pile of hot mashed potatoes are perfect options, too.
Other Ways To Prepare This Dish
- Instant Pot Meatloaf is super quick and easy to make and it is SO delicious. It cooks so much more quickly than an oven-baked meatloaf.
- Don’t forget the sauce! This red sauce recipe will transform your next comfort food dinner and quickly turn into a family favorite.
- Check out this yummy roundup filled with delicious ideas for other beef and pork meatloaf recipes to get on the table tonight!
Substitute for Bread Crumbs in Meatloaf
Whether you are looking for a gluten-free replacement or you just don’t have bread crumbs on hand, learn what to substitute for breadcrumbs in this dish!
Substitute for Apricot Preserves
Read on for some great ideas about what to substitute for apricot preserves if you need a replacement for this ingredient.
How Long Does Meatloaf Last In The Fridge
How long does meatloaf last in the fridge? If you have leftovers and you’re not sure whether to throw, refrigerate or freeze, read on!
What To Do With Meatloaf Leftovers
- Make meatloaf tacos.
- Add to a batch of chili, yum!
- Create leftover meatloaf sandwiches, obviously!
- Crumble it up and throw into spaghetti sauce to create leftover meatloaf spaghetti.
- Break into pieces and add it to your next batch of nachos.
- Build a few meatball subs, substituting meatballs for chunks of meatloaf.
Comfort Food Recipes
- Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole boasts flavor and creaminess over a bed of steaming egg noodles. This is a perfect hearty weeknight meal to put on the table.
- Instant Pot White Turkey Chili is packed with turkey meat, white beans and veggies, this comfort food is super flavorful and delicious.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a delicious combination of the tastiest flavors you will ever eat in a single bite.
- Best Baked Ziti is packed with flavorful meat sauce and layers of cheesy goodness, you will enjoy each flavorful bite. This delicious dinner feeds a lot of people and is super filling and hearty.
- Best Instant Pot Chili is the absolute perfect comfort food, packed with flavor, texture, color and a tiny bit of spice. Perfect dinner or party food!
Recipe Notes
- Be absolutely sure that you place the pan of meatloaf on a rimmed baking sheet before you put it in the oven. At times this recipe can bubble over and I really don’t want to be the reason your oven caught on fire.
- To save yourself from having to clean an extra dish, place parchment paper on top of the baking sheet.
- Be careful not to over mix! Mix until all ingredients are just combined. Over-mixing can create a different, denser texture.
- To avoid an extra greasy meatloaf, use a leaner meat like ground turkey or even venison! Beef meatloaf is incredible, but I promise the flavor is still super amazing no matter which type of meat you use in the recipe.
- Let the meatloaf rest for AT LEAST 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. If you slice into it too soon, it will fall apart. Heed this important warning!
- The apricot preserves in the sauce MAKES this recipe, but if you don’t have it on hand grape or cherry jelly or jam are great replacements!
- The most accurate way to determine if any meat is done cooking is by using a Thermapen. (<—-affiliate link) Insert the thermometer into the center of the loaf to get a good reading. For this recipe I recommend achieving a temperature of 160°F.
FAQ About Meatloaf
Letting it sit for at least 15 minutes after pulling it out of the oven is a vital step if you wish to keep your meal intact. The egg and crackers will work their magic and hold the meatloaf together, but it may fall apart if you slice too soon.
If you are wondering about cooking times for cooking meatloaf all the way through, it takes an entire hour and a half. Make sure to place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet before putting it into the oven!
To ensure your meatloaf is fully cooked, stick a meat thermometer into the center. You will want to achieve an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Meatloaf turns out great when any variety of ground meat is used. Keep in mind that the fattier the meat (beef or sausage), the more grease will hang out in the bottom of the pan. Leaner meats such as ground turkey or even venison still produce a delicious end result!
The purpose of adding crackers to meatloaf is to help the mixture stick together (along with eggs!). They also add flavor to the final dish. Just be sure not to add too many cracker crumbs or the opposite problem can happen: your meatloaf may fall apart.
You can use equal parts cracker crumbs to replace breadcrumbs in just about any meatloaf recipe. Be sure the cracker crumbs are finely ground or the meatloaf may have issues with falling apart.
What People Are Saying About This Recipe
“Been using this recipe for years, we love it so much!! my husband was never a huge fan of meatloaf until I tried this recipe, now he asks for it regularly 🙂 thank you for sharing it, makes me feel like a rock star every time! “ ~Felicia
“Our whole family absolutely LOVES this meatloaf. I never cared for meatloaf until this recipe. Turns out great every time!! I make it exactly as directed, it is fabulous. We love the sauce so much that I sometimes make just the sauce and serve it with hamburger steak. ? “ ~Patricia
“This is by far the best meatloaf I’ve ever eaten/made. Everyone that has eaten it has loved it. I once put mine in muffin tins and swirled garlic mashed potatoes on top for a meatloaf cup cake. Soooooo yum!!! “ ~Ashley L.
Meatloaf Recipe With Crackers
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 5×9 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, crackers, egg, milk, 1/2 cup ketchup, onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix together with your hands until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup ketchup, brown sugar, apricot preserves and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Spread half of the mixture evenly over the meatloaf halfway through baking. Reserve the remainder of the sauce for dipping/topping. Let meatloaf sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- Be absolutely sure that you place the pan of meatloaf on a rimmed baking sheet before you put it in the oven. At times this recipe can bubble over and I really don’t want to be the reason your oven caught on fire.
- To save yourself from having to clean an extra dish, place parchment paper on top of the baking sheet.
- Be careful not to over mix! Mix until all ingredients are just combined. Over-mixing can create a different, denser texture.
- To avoid an extra greasy meatloaf, use a leaner meat like ground turkey or even venison! Beef meatloaf is incredible, but I promise the flavor is still super amazing no matter which type of meat you use in the recipe.
- Let the meatloaf rest for AT LEAST 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. If you slice into it too soon, it will fall apart. Heed this important warning!
- The apricot preserves in the sauce MAKES this recipe, but if you don’t have it on hand grape or cherry jelly or jam are great replacements!
- The most accurate way to determine if the ground beef is done cooking is by using a Thermapen. (<—-affiliate link) Insert the thermometer into the center of the loaf to get a good reading. You will want to reach 160°F.
- You can freeze your loaf. If you are cooking it, allow it to cool completely. Then double pack it in a ziplock or air tight container and it can be enjoyed within 2-3 months.
Just made this tonight for my fiancé and me. It was the first time I ever made meatloaf and it turned out fantastic. He can’t stop raving about it! I made it with Old Bay potato wedges and garlic/rosemary/lemon asparagus and mushrooms. Some changes I made to the recipe: I added some onion powder, celery salt, and Worcestershire sauce to the meat mixture. Sub’d garlic powder for minced garlic. Made a half recipe and cooked for an hour and 10 mins. There was a lot of juice at the bottom for me, but if this happens to you, don’t baste if you want it to be moist.
Overall, this recipe was wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
Oh, and I used a meat mixture of ground beef, pork, and veal. So dang flavorful.
I love the small changes you made, Laura! So glad you loved it!!
Megan
I hardly ever leave comments, I’ve made this meatloaf at least a dozen times it’s by far the most delicious meatloaf I’ve ever made. I use a double metal meatloaf pan with drainage holes the meatloaf comes out firm but moist.
Doreen, this comment made my day! I’m so glad you love this recipe as much as we do!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Megan
Trying meat loaf for the first time. I don’t know what it was suppose to look like when entering the oven but mine was very mushy/runny. I hope it turns out when I get it out of the oven cause my husband loves meatloaf and I don’t care for it but what to make him happy after a days work. Hope he isn’t dissapointed with runny meatloaf.
Way to mushy. Not my favorite recipe. I followed he recipe to a T. Taste was good.
Do you have to grease the pan with butter or anything before you fill it with the beef?
Hello Mrs. JK. No need to grease the pan at all. Best of luck and I hope you love it!
Megan
I’m going to try it but without the sauce on the top
It was a little greasy but I still loved the recipe and so did my husband he even had it for leftovers the next day! 🙂
Will try out the recipe tonight
My family and I LOVED this meatloaf!!!? I suctioned out the excess grease and liquid with a Baster into a Solo cup or an empty can. That worked well and we love the topping too! It’s now a favorite meal! ?
Horrible, horrible recipe!!! The meatloaf was soooo greasy and wouldnt stay together, too watery and soggy!!! I followed the recipe to a t and I dont know how this is the best ever meatloaf. Ugh, kids wouldn’t eat it and now they’re still hungry, thanks for the waste of time and money!!!
Try it without the milk. My mother made her meatloaf with Ritz crackers, egg and ketchup, onions, and I have been making it the same6way for 44 years…it’s the5only meatloaf I will eat. I usually use ground sirloin though.
It’s the Ritz crackers that make this so tasty!!❤
My wife is not a meatloaf lover but I made this for her about 3 months ago and she loved it! She told our adult children about it and they asked me to make it for them and their families when they came to visit from out of town. Now they love it, too, and it is high on the list of recipes they ask for when they visit! Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you all love this recipe as much as we do, Mike! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Megan
I’m fairly new to cooking.
I’ve been having a hard time thinking of things to cook nightly for me and my boyfriend.
I remembered my grandma always making meatloaf her go to meal on week days, so I decided to search on Pinterest.
I found this pin and was honestly skeptical about the way the sauce was made (mainly the apricot preserves), because my grandma always just used ketchup and worchester sauce.
The flavor from the meat and absolutely delicious. My boyfriend loved it and he loved the sauce on top!
As for me, the sauce wasn’t the greatest, due to my stomach problems, sweet stuff isn’t a go to for me, so I just scraped it off my peice.
Amazing recipe. Will definitely be a go to.
Thank you for sharing 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Tory! We love it, too! Thanks for taking the time to comment!!
Megan
This recipe is great! The flavor alone in the meat is fantastic, honestly wouldn’t even need sauce on the top. Very juicy too!! The bottom didn’t stay together very well, but after it cooled down it stayed together better! This will be a future recipe for sure 🙂
I Made this for my family and in laws last week, and used mango Jam it was a hit and my mother in law asked if I could make it again this week for our family dinner! Thank you for such a yummy recipe, it will definitely be used over and over again.
Making this for the second time in a couple months. I love this recipe and the yummy sauce. I drain the juices out of the pan before adding he sauce and cooking the 2nd 45 minutes. It turns out great and so flavorful!
I had a craving for meatloaf, but certainly not my mammas (way too t dry. lol). I made this tonight and it was incredible! It exceeded my expectations. What percentage of fat would you recommend I use for the beef? The ground beed I used was about 20% fat, which I think drowned my meat loaf. Very pleased though! I can’t wait to make it again soon!
I’m making this now and it smells delicious!
If I were to half the recipe, would you suggest I change the cook time?
Hi Morgan! I’ve never halved this recipe and cannot tell you how to alter the cooking time if you do so. Could you make the recipe as-is and freeze half?
Megan
Did anyone have a problem with the meatloaf being gritty? I can’t figure out what caused that.
Does the cooking time for 2 two lb meatloafs change? Or is it still the same?
Hi Libby! I would definitely suggest cooking the meatloafs separately if you are cooking two of them. I know this is a big time committment, but having multiple in the oven simultaneously will for sure affect cooking time and outcome. I hope this helps and thanks for the comment!
Megan
Libby, this week I made 3 meatloaves at the same time. I baked them in a large Pampered Chef stoneware baker (I think it’s 9×13). I shaped the 3 loves and set them in the pan side by side, leaving about 2 inches in between. I added 10 extra minutes of cooking time. They turned out perfectly, and my family was excited to have an extra for leftovers.